WHILE hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former Intelligence Bureau Special Director Yashovardhan Azad and individuals injured by pellets at Jantar Mantar on July 20, the Supreme Court refused to order a blanket ban on the use of pellet guns (PGs). A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that since police regulations permit these weapons in extreme violent situation during mass protests, when all other measures, including firing of tear gas shells and lathicharge, fail to manage the crowd, an outright ban cannot be ordered without challenging the underlying legal provisions.